U.S. President

Presidential Fun Facts• George Washington bought

leopard skin robes for his horses.

• Thomas Jefferson liked to greet foreign ambassadors in his pajamas.

• James Madison was our shortest president at 5’4.

• Lincoln was the tallest at 6’4• John Q. Adams liked to

skinny dip in the Potomac.• The oldest president

inaugurated was Reagan (age 69); the youngest was Kennedy (age 43).

• Andrew Jackson had a scar on his forehead b/c as a child he refused to give a British soldier a horse during the revolutionary war.

• John Tyler had 15 kids (the most ever)

• Eisenhower liked to play golf at the White House so he had all squirrels removed from the property.

Presidential Fun Facts

• Teddy Roosevelt was boxing in the White House when he received a blow that left him blind in his left eye.

• Taft (325lbs) used to get stuck in the bathtub and his advisors would have to pull him out.

• FDR’s bicep was bigger than the heavy weight boxer of the time because he held himself up to look more powerful

• LBJ drove an aquatic car into lakes to scare people

• Crazy pets at the WH:– Hoover – alligators– Jefferson, Teddy R.,

Coolidge – bears– Buchanan – elephant

Demographics

• Male – 100%• Caucasian – 100% until 2008• Protestant – 97%• College Education – 77%• Politicians – 69%• Lawyers – 62%• Top 3% wealth and social class – at least 50%• Elected from large states – 69%

Job Description • Constitutional Requirements

– 35 years old– Lived in U.S. 14 years– Natural born citizen

• Salary and Benefits– $400,000 salary (tax free)– $50,000/year expense account– $100,000/year travel expenses– White House– Secret Service protection for up to 10 years after

leaving office– Camp David (country home)– Air Force One– Staff of 400-500 employees

Benefits

• Each branch of the military is in charge of providing service to the President– Army – protection while travelling by vehicle– Air Force – plane (Air Force One)– Marines – helicopter (Marine One)– Navy – meal services

Daily Life

• President is updated on world wide affairs every day at 5am, 12pm, and 5pm

• Meets with members of his cabinet (advisors) and workers in the

Executive Office of the

President (EOP) who are

responsible for keeping him

informed and giving advise– examples of DELEGATING and BEAUROCRACY

Roles of the President – Formal Powers

• Chief of State –symbol of the COUNTRY

• Chief Diplomat – deals with foreign affairs

Roles of the President – Formal Powers

• Chief Executive – administrator of the federal government

• Commander in Chief –commander of the U.S. military

Roles of the President – Formal Powers

• Chief Legislator –proposes bills for consideration in Congress

• Political Party Leader – head of the party who assists in members’ elections or appointments to office

Roles of the President – Formal Powers

• Crisis Manager – lead country through disasters

• Moral Persuader – shares his opinions/beliefs

Informal Powers of the President• Executive Orders – laws w/o congress

approval (ex: don’t ask, don’t tell in military)– Usually pertains to government agencies and officials

• Executive Agreements – a pact other than a treaty made by the president with a foreign government (ex: Louisiana Purchase)

• Executive Privilege –justifies withholding documents and information from other branches of government (Ex: Nixon and Watergate)